1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to belt driven attachments which are removably mounted on implements and more particularly to the mounting and belt tensioning structure for drivingly coupling an auxiliary blower to a mower deck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Belt driven attachments, such as auxiliary blowers used to enhance the air flow from a mower deck to a bagger or similar collecting apparatus, are often intermittently used with implement. Accordingly, they and the mower decks must be equipped with structure that permits the blower to be mounted on the deck or separated for storage.
Since blowers and similar attachments can be bulky and are often heavy, a structure for quickly and easily mounting or removing it and its belt drive is necessary.
Auxiliary blowers of the type which mount adjacent the mower deck are provided with a variety of mounting structures and blower drive mechanisms. One such mounting structure used with a shaft driven blower uses a spool-type pivot structure carried on the blower which must be slidingly positioned in a yoke-type mount carried on the deck.
Once this pivot structure has been positioned within the yoke, the blower is swung around into its position adjacent the deck and a spring loaded J-pin arrangement is inserted into a bracket to couple the rear of the blower with the implement deck. Then the shaft drive which powers the blower impeller must be connected.
Another type of shaft driven blower is provided with a mounting structure that utilizes a pin sleeve and yoke arrangement to couple one end of the blower and a toggle latch to serve the other end. The pin is first inserted through the sleeve and yoke to swingably couple the blower with the mower deck. Then it is swung around to a position adjacent the deck whereupon the rear of the blower is connected to the deck by activating a toggle latch between the mower deck and blower. The shaft drive is then coupled with the blower.
Due to the bulky and heavy nature of blower attachments, positioning such pivot structures on sleeves and within yokes can be somewhat difficult for a single individual, since the operator must carefully maneuver them into alignment.
Similarly, securing them together with the over-center toggle latch can be difficult since it can be positioned in an area that has additional structural items, such as the shaft drive, wheel support, etc.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a mounting structure for coupling a blower or similar attachment with a mower deck or implement which would permit the operator to easily and quickly align the attachment with the implement and quickly and easily secure them together. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide such a coupling mechanism which would be usable with a belt driven attachment and could tension the belt drive as well.